Printing issues

How to start or stop a print?

  • To start a print, click the print icon on the XYZware main screen, or view this first-time printing video.
  • The da Vinci can be stopped via PC or directly on the machine using the LED button. To stop the machine via PC, open XYZware, click on the Printer monitor icon in the bottom right-hand side of the screen and in the Printer Info window click on the stop icon.

Filament jammed / not coming out smoothly.

  • Cancel your current print, press the LED button on the da Vinci Mini and wait for the print bed to move to the front. The LED button should change from red to pulsing orange.
  • Remove your failed print and press the LED button one more time to return it to green status
  • Close and restart XYZware
  • Open the Printer monitor and click Extruder > Clean nozzle
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to clean your extruder nozzle
  • Nozzle cleaning video

If the filament spool can’t spin freely

  • Check that it is not coiled around the feed module. Filament must be loaded in a certain direction without any tangles, please see the picture below.

Untitled-3-01

Part doesn’t stick to print bed.

  • The distance between the extruder nozzle and the printing bed may not be close enough, attach bed tape and calibrate the da Vinci Mini

If you are still having problems try manually adjusting the Z offset

  • Open XYZware then go printing monitor
  • In the printing monitor go to SetUp → jog mode → home axis → Finished. The extruder will go back to its original position.
  • Move the extruder module to the middle of the print bed using the onscreen buttons.
  • Check if the tape has been scratched or not; if you can fit two A4 pieces of paper between the extruder nozzle and print bed comfortably, press Home axes again to move the extruder back to the initial axis, then proceed to the step below.
  • Go Setting → Z offset to set the Z offset; manually move the nozzle to the middle, the ideal distance between extruder nozzle and print bed should be a snug fit of two standard A4 sheets of paper. Use the Z-offset figures to decrease the gap by 0.1mm increments and click Accept. 

Filament not coming out of the extruder, bed tape is being scratched and shifting position.

  • The distance between the extruder nozzle and the printing bed may be too close, attach bed tape and calibrate the da Vinci Mini.

If you are still having problems try manually adjusting the Z offset

  • Open XYZware then go printing monitor
  • In the printing monitor go to SetUp → jog mode → home axis → Finished. The extruder will go back to its original position.
  • Move the extruder module to the middle of the print bed using the onscreen buttons.
  • Check if the tape has been scratched or not; if the distance between extruder nozzle and the print bed is too close, press Home axes again to move the extruder back to the initial position, then proceed to the step below.
  • Go Setting → Z offset to set the Z offset; manually move the nozzle to the middle, the ideal distance between extruder nozzle and print bed should be two standard A4 sheets of paper. If you cannot fit two pieces of paper between the extruder nozzle and print bed, use the Z-offset figures to increase the gap by 0.1mm increments and click accept.

The printer is making thudding noise when printing

  • Check to see if the noise is originating from the feed module
  • When the feed module makes a noise it is generally because the filament is stuck, and the motor is slipping when trying to extrude the filament
  • Make sure the filament spool can spin freely
  • The extruder module may be jammed, follow this tutorial on how to clean the extruder nozzle 
  • The distance between the print bed and extruder module may be too close – follow the instructions from the previous problem
  • Feed module teeth may need cleaning. Drive gear cleaning video. 

Printer stops mid print

  • Check that your printer power supply is plugged in and that there hasn’t been a power shortage recently
  • Make sure the print file has transferred from your computer to the da Vinci Mini and that the print was started before removing the USB cable. The larger the 3D file the longer the transfer will take.
  • Turn the printer back on immediately and unload the filament to ensure the extruder nozzle hasn’t jammed

The guide tube has come loose inside the feeding tube grip and pops out during printing

  • Overtime the guide tube wears where the feed tube grip connects to it. When this happens we recommend following this trim guide tube tutorial.
  • If the problem persists it may be that the teeth on the feeding tube grip are worn and do not hold the guide grip in place. If this is the case, try replacing the tube grip with the replacement supplied in the packaging.